My Brother's Keeper
by Y2Jen
Summary: A fun day in the snow turns to tragedy when Goten's life is threatened by a deadly ancient disease. Now it's up to Gohan and the gang to search the globe to find any remaining antidote. But will they make it in time? *finished*
1. Snow Daze

Everyone loves the snow, and the two boys of the Son family are no different. Their dad, Goku, had just defeated the evil Buu not too long ago and earlier that year they had all gone together to Capsule Corp. for a BBQ but Goku ended up egg sitting. It's wintertime now and something rare and beautiful has happened in the mountains, it's snowed.  
  
"Come on Gohan, let's go out and play!" Goten begged.  
  
"Well, ok." Gohan smiled and went outside to play with his little brother of seven. Gohan was actually eagerly awaiting Videl, they were going on a trip to the snow mountain ski range with some friends for the weekend. "Wow, it sure is nice, isn't it Goten?"  
  
"Yea, it's cool!" Goten giggled, the first time he'd ever seen snow.  
  
"Oh there's Videl." Gohan saw her car pull over to his house.  
  
"Gohan come on." Videl called, their two other friends were already in the backseat.  
  
"Goten, why don't you go play with Trunks, I gotta go." Gohan got in the car.  
  
"Ok, by Gohan, have fun!" Goten waved as the car drove out of sight. Goten went back to playing in the cold, white snow. About half an hour later Trunks flew down from out of the sky.  
  
"Hey Goten, you're a regular snow man." He laughed, Goten was covered in snow.  
  
"Yea isn't it cool? Come on." Goten threw a snowball at Trunks.  
  
"Ow." It hit him but he smirked back. "Oh you're asking for it now!" The two giggled and let out cries of joy as they threw globs of snow back and foward in a snowball fight. They spent hours playing in the snow until Chi- Chi called them inside to take a break.  
  
"You can play in the snow later, you should eat something for now." She said.  
  
"Aw. Ok." The two boys went inside, disappointed.  
  
"Oh don't be so down, it's not like the snow's gonna be gone when you go back out." She laughed. They ate their snacks quickly and were soon back out in the snow. They played late into the afternoon, Trunks was spending the night that day.  
  
"Hey Goten, do you think we should go inside, it's getting late and I'm cold and tired."  
  
"I wanna still play."  
  
"I'm gonna be inside, your mom makes the best hot chocolate."  
  
"Ok." Goten continued to play as Trunks went inside. He made a snowman and a snow angle and was working on a fort when Trunks came back outside.  
  
"Hey, your mom is making dinner and said you should come inside."  
  
"I'm coming." Goten ran inside.  
  
"Hey, nice work."  
  
"Thanks Trunks." They closed the door behind them.  
  
After dinner they went to bed, eager to return to the snowy outside. Trunks got up early and was already hard at work continuing Goten's fort when somebody flew over, it was Dende.  
  
"Hey Trunks, nice fort you got there."  
  
"Hi, thanks Dende." Trunks smiled and watched him go inside. He shrugged and went back to work. Finally Goten ran outside to help in on the construction.  
  
"Hey Trunks."  
  
"Hey Goten."  
  
Goten threw a snowball at Trunks, he laughed and threw one back. They began to fight in the snow and giggle. Trunks buried Goten's head in the snow as he struggled to get out. Trunks finally pulled Goten's frosted face back out. Goten gasped, it was freezing cold.  
  
"Wow, that was cold!" He shivered and breathed quickly.  
  
"Goten, are you ok?" Trunks asked between laughs.  
  
"Yea."  
  
"Goten, come back inside now." Chi-Chi opened the door.  
  
"Aw, mom!" Goten shuffled over through the snow.  
  
"Dende wants to see you now."  
  
"Ok."  
  
Trunks watched, confused, as Chi-Chi took Goten inside and closed the door. He went over to go open the door but before he could, Goku came outside.  
  
"Oh, hey Trunks. You can't go inside right now." "Hu, how come?"  
  
"Dende needs to be with Goten right now."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"He got kinda sick yesterday from being in the snow so long."  
  
"Sick? Is he ok!"  
  
"Don't worry, just stay outside for now." Goku went back inside.  
  
Trunks was confused, Goten seemed fine to him. He went over to the window and watched the four of them go into Goten's room. He ran to the other side of the house and climbed onto a bush to be able to look inside the window. Trunks noticed Goten was still coughing from the snow as he brushed the ice off his face and out of his hair. He smiled but noticed Dende talking to Goku and Chi-Chi. Goten sat down on his bed and Dende put a thermometer in his mouth and listened to his heart. Goten frowned, he wanted to play outside. Dende finished and took it out, Goten began to cough again and Trunks frowned, realizing that Goten was in pain. Dende rubbed Goten's neck and told him something, probably to lie down because Goten got under his bed covers. The three adults left the room and went back to the door. Trunks ran over to meet them.  
  
"I'll send somebody over tomorrow ok?" Dende was saying as he opened the door.  
  
"Dende, can Goten play now?" Trunks asked.  
  
"No I'm afraid not." Dende walked past him and flew off. Trunks looked up at Goku.  
  
"Sorry Trunks." Goku took him back inside and closed the door.  
  
"Goten doesn't seem sick to me, I wanna play." Trunks complained.  
  
"Trunks don't worry, Gohan will be back tomorrow night." Chi-Chi replied.  
  
Trunks sighed and folded his arms. The next day as Trunks was sitting on the porch, kicking at the snow, bored, a car drove up and a man came out. He didn't even look at or talk to Trunks, he just walked into the house. Trunks was confused, he went to the window and watched Goku and Chi-Chi lead the stranger into Goten's room where he slept. Trunks tried to get back on the bush to get a look, but it broke under his weight. He sighed but a sound caught his attention, he turned around to see a car. Gohan was early.  
  
"Later Gohan." The girl in the back waved.  
  
"Nice trip." The guy laughed, remarking on when Gohan did trick snow boarding.  
  
"I'll call you Gohan." Videl started the car.  
  
"By guys." Gohan watched the car drive off and then turned around. "Whoa, oh, hey Trunks." Gohan hadn't seen him and almost ran into him.  
  
"Gohan, something's wrong with Goten."  
  
"What?" Gohan was confused. Trunks lead him to the window. Gohan helped Trunks look in. The man was looking at Goten, Gohan watched nervously with an angry face.  
  
"What are they saying Gohan?" Trunks noticed Gohan's worried expressions.  
  
"I don't know." Gohan said quietly and turned to him. "But we can find out." He began to nudge his hand under the door and pushed it open a hairline crack, they could hear.  
  
"Wow, nice trick Gohan." Trunks smiled, Gohan grinned back but became serious when he heard them talking. They turned their attention to back inside.  
  
"I'm cold." Goten was saying.  
  
"I'll get you a quilt." Chi-Chi went to the closet. The man walked toward the window with Goku to talk to him in private. Gohan and Trunks hid but the two didn't see them.  
  
"He's exousted, and his fever is getting worse." The man was saying to Goku.  
  
"Should we keep giving him the aspirin?" Goku asked.  
  
"Yes, but that won't be enough." The man began to think. "This is the first case on the planet in the past 13 years." He sighed. "I'm afraid no medicine is currently available."  
  
"First case in 13 years? What's wrong with him?" Goku panicked.  
  
"I'm afraid he's got diphtheria." The man's words shocked Goku.  
  
"He's got what?" Trunks whispered to Gohan, but he didn't reply, he didn't know what it was either but from what the man was saying it sounded bad. Trunks noticed Gohan's eyes, he was scared for his little brother and was almost crying. "Hey, are you ok?"  
  
"Yea, fine." Gohan muttered quietly and made his eyes stop welling up. The three adults left Goten's room. Gohan led Trunks to the door but they didn't open it and go inside. "I'm sorry you had to see that, Trunks." Gohan muttered as they stood there.  
  
"No, it's ok, I'm glad I did." Trunks sighed. The man opened the door, went to his car and left. Gohan and Trunks looked up, Goku and Chi-Chi were standing in the doorway. The four of them stared off into the distance, they knew this was not good. 


	2. The Snow Takes Another?

The news of Goten's condition shocked everyone, many of the Z-fighters came, hoping to be of service. Goku waited outside for the last one to come, he had a plan. Yamcha, Tien, Chaitzou, Gohan and Trunks stood outside waiting, finally the last man arrived.  
  
"Dad, better late then never." Trunks said as Vegeta landed outside the Son household.  
  
"Well Kakerot, what is the meaning of this joyous family reunion?" Vegeta asked Goku.  
  
"As you all probably know, Goten is really sick and apparently there is a slim to none chance of getting him medicine. But we have to look, some has to exist but nobody knows where." Goku began.  
  
"Where do we come in?" Tien cut in.  
  
"We need to do a global search, we have to find at least some medicine for him."  
  
"Wait a minute, is this some sort of game Kakerot, are you treating your son's health like a joke?"  
  
"No, this is no joke, I'm serious!" Goku yelled but lowered his voice to not wake Goten. "Goten could die and the Dragon Balls can't wish a dead person back to life if he died of an illness. I don't want to loose him Vegeta, I know you'd do the same for Trunks."  
  
Vegeta was quiet, he looked down at Trunks who looked up at him saddly, "Please dad, Goten's my best friend."  
  
"Alright, I'll help. What do we have to do?" Vegeta looked back up at Goku.  
  
"I have this all planned out. Vegeta, you're going to do a search of Asia and Europe."  
  
"All by myself?" Vegeta was shocked at Goku's assumptions.  
  
"I can help too dad." Trunks tugged on his Vegeta's pants. He looked down at the eager boy, his answer was hesitant, but he nodded his head. Trunks smiled.  
  
"Tien, you and Chaitzou will cover Africa and Australia."  
  
"Piece of cake." Tien cracked his knuckles.  
  
"Yamcha, you're taking South America. Gohan you take North America."  
  
"Does that include Canada?" Gohan asked.  
  
"Yea."  
  
"So does that mean I can drink beer?" "No, you have to be 19 in that country."  
  
"Aw.." Gohan sighed.  
  
"Hey, better luck next time kid." Yamcha laughed as he patted his back.  
  
"Ok, now there's no time to loose. If you find the medicine, contact the rest and they'll all go to where you are. Then when you're all together, you come here. Got it?"  
  
"Right." Everyone nodded.  
  
"I'm going to stay here, Chi-Chi is an emotional wreck, and I don't feel right about leaving her and Goten."  
  
"Don't worry dad, we understand." Gohan smiled.  
  
"Thanks, I knew you would."  
  
"Alright everyone, we haven't a moment to spare." Chaitzou spoke up.  
  
"Let's move!" Trunks raised a fist into the air and they all bolted off in different directions. Goku watched for a few seconds before they went out of sight.  
  
"Good luck guys." He said to himself. "Good luck."  
  
The search went on for days, weeks, a month, at home, Goku, Chi-Chi and Goten remained worried, Goten wasn't getting any better. Suddenly, after about six weeks, a message shot through Goku's head. It was from Vegeta.  
  
"Kakerot, Trunks and I found the medicine, it's a crate of it, it's the only supply on the planet."  
  
"Great, bring it, all of it. Where did you find it?"  
  
"In Alaska."  
  
"But that's in North American isn't it?"  
  
"Yes, and you pass the geography test Kakerot."  
  
"But that was Gohan's territory."  
  
"Well Trunks and I work quicker and were able to search Asia and Europe first."  
  
"Either way, I'm glad you were able to find it. Contact the others."  
  
"I already have."  
  
"Great, I'll tell everyone here." Goku opened his eyes and noticed Chi-Chi and Goten looking at him. Chi-Chi was sitting down on the bed and Goten was wrapped up in the quilt. Goku smiled and the two looked strangely at him. "They found it."  
  
"Really?" Chi-Chi nearly jumped.  
  
"Yea." Goku nodded. "They'll be here soon, they're in Alaska."  
  
"Did you hear that Goten, you're gonna be ok now!" Chi-Chi hugged him.  
  
"Yay." Goten smiled weakly, he was still in very bad shape and getting worse slowly.  
  
Back in Alaska.  
  
"You guys did nothing, it was all my doing." Vegeta was boasting.  
  
"Hey dad, I helped too." Trunks pouted.  
  
"You only slowed me down." Vegeta growled, Trunks frowned and took a step back.  
  
"Vegeta, calm down." Tien cut in.  
  
"Yea, all that matters is one of us found the medicine." Yamcha agreed.  
  
"And now Goten will get all better." Chaitzou agreed.  
  
"Well I was the one who found it, I get full credit." Vegeta folded his arms.  
  
"We helped too." Yamcha growled, taking a step forward. Vegeta growled but a sound made them all turn to the sky.  
  
"Well it's about time." Vegeta put his hands on his hips as Gohan landed. "What took you?"  
  
"Sorry guys. Long story." Gohan blushed, embarrassed, and rubbed behind his head.  
  
"It doesn't matter, what does is that we're all here, we got the medicine.." Yamcha began.  
  
"I got the medicine." Vegeta emphasized.  
  
"Yo, Vegeta, what's wrong?" Gohan noticed his anger.  
  
"I get the credit, I'm the hero." Vegeta held the crate. "Look, we all did it together." Gohan went to grab the crate.  
  
"No." Vegeta pulled it close. "You did nothing, literally!"  
  
"Hu?" Gohan drew back.  
  
"I found this medicine here in Alaska, and in case you haven't noticed, Alaska is in America. It's above Canada yes, but no less." Vegeta snapped at him sharply.  
  
"Without us you would've had to search the whole world." Gohan spoke back up. "Now give it here." He reached for it but Vegeta didn't give it to him. "He's my brother."  
  
"But I found it, I get credit!" Vegeta growled.  
  
"Man, this is getting tense." Yamcha whispered to Tien and Chaitzou.  
  
"Dad, calm down." Trunks walked over but Vegeta turned sharply and made him fall in the snow. Everyone was shocked, Vegeta had gone postal.  
  
"Vegeta, what's wrong?" Tien asked. Gohan walked towards Vegeta again, he shot a blast at him but Gohan dodged. "Vegeta stop it!" Tien cried. Gohan began to walk again but this time Vegeta's blast hit him, he cried out and held his left shoulder. "Vegeta!"  
  
"He's just trying to help." Trunks begged his dad to cool his head.  
  
"Come on Vegeta, let's go home." Gohan tried to walk over once more. This time Vegeta dropped the crate and tackled Gohan, he hit his back against a rock by a ledge of the canyon and the snow fell on him. Vegeta smirked and picked the crate back up.  
  
"Now what was that for?" Yamcha growled.  
  
"Gohan, are you ok?" Tien asked.  
  
"Yea." Gohan said as he slowly dug himself out of the snow. Vegeta growled as Gohan turned to him again. "What does it matter who found the medicine, we found it, so let's go home, this isn't about you and me Vegeta, it's about saving Goten, my little brother."  
  
"Yea dad, and my best friend." Trunks chimed in.  
  
"Fine, you want it so bad, take it!" Vegeta threw it on Gohan. The weight of the box surprised Gohan and he gasped. The snow gave way under him and he fell, but before he could fly out, he hit his head against a rock and went out cold as he fell down the cliff.  
  
"Gohan!" Everyone cried but he was soon gone underneath the snow below. 


	3. The Crate Recovered

"I can't see him, or the crate." Trunks continued to look down into the canyon.  
  
"Now what was that for Vegeta?" Tien asked.  
  
"Yea man, what's wrong with you?" Yamcha growled.  
  
"Just calm down and take it easy." Chaitzou added.  
  
"You're right, I'm sorry. The important thing is that we can save Goten cause I, we, got the medicine." Vegeta sighed.  
  
"Actually no, we don't, it fell along with Gohan." Yamcha sneered.  
  
"You know what? I'm outa here." Vegeta snorted and flew off.  
  
"Vegeta!" Chaitzou cried but he was soon out of sight.  
  
"Aw, I guess we don't have a chance now." Trunks sighed as he sat down in the snow. "Gohan and the medicine are gone, now Goten's gonna get sicker and die."  
  
"I wouldn't worry about Gohan." Yamcha smiled, Trunks looked up at them.  
  
"Yea, he's a tough guy, he'll be ok." Tien put a hand on Trunk's shoulder.  
  
Down in the ravine below, the snow began to stir and tremble. A head started to bob from underneath until finally Gohan stuck his head out, taking in a deep breath as he gasped for air. He coughed as he pulled his body out of the ice. He collapsed on the ground, his body to stiff and limply numb to move from the frozen snow. He looked up weakly, exousted by the cold, he'd fallen very far and his head was killing him from the rock. He lay his head down on the snow and began to choke and sob to himself, he believed he'd failed his brother and now because of him, Goten was going to die. Gohan sniffed and turned away from the light from the sun above him. He opened his eyes and blinked, they focused again as he saw what he thought he saw. Yes, it was the crate. Gohan found his energy reserve and pulled himself towards the crate. He smiled as he opened it, most of the bottles hadn't broken, Goten still had a chance. Gohan felt something grow in him. "Yea!" He cried. "Woohoo!" He stood up, Goten still had a chance. "Wooooo!" The sound echoed up the ledges and everyone above on the top heard the sounds.  
  
"What was that?" Trunks gasped.  
  
"Was it Gohan?" Chaitzou ran over and looked down. Gohan was flying up with the crate. "It is Gohan!"  
  
"Alright, he's ok." Tien ran over and looked too.  
  
"And he's got the crate." Yamcha looked over. "Wow, I thought he'd be dead after that nasty fall." Tien smiled.  
  
"I doubt that, he's a saiyan." Yamcha smiled. They cheered as Gohan flew up and landed the crate down on the snow. Everyone gathered around him and congratulated him.  
  
"Hey, where's Vegeta?" Gohan looked around.  
  
"Aw that sore looser took a hike." Chaitzou replied.  
  
"We'd better get the medicine back." Gohan stood up wearily.  
  
"Take it easy." Yamcha helped him stand.  
  
"Do you want me to carry the crate?" Trunks asked the tired Gohan.  
  
"No I got it." Gohan stood up strait and picked up the crate, he felt he was responseble.  
  
"Well you were the one who flew from your house to North America, so you lead the way." Tien said and Gohan lead the way home with the medicine in hand.  
  
A few days later.  
  
"Here you go." Goku handed Chi-Chi a cup of tea.  
  
"Oh, thanks." Chi-Chi yawned, she hadn't left her son's bed.  
  
Goku sighed as he looked down at his sickly son. He was in another one of his feverish dreams, breathing quickly and tossing and turning, coughing in his sleep. He frowned, Goten was horrible. He went to sit down next to her when he heard a sound outside.  
  
"Hu?" Goku shot toward the window.  
  
"Who is it?" Chi-Chi asked.  
  
"Somebody's here." Goku went out of the room.  
  
"Is it Gohan with the medicine?" Chi-Chi grew eager and the door flew open.  
  
"Vegeta." Goku laughed and walked over to his tired friend. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"Were you able to find it?" Chi-Chi ran over. Vegeta looked up, he began to see flaw in his plan for returning here.  
  
"Well, you see." Vegeta began to think up a lie as an excuse. "I found the medicine and everyone came. Gohan wanted to be the hero, because Goten's his brother, so I let him take the crate so he'd get credit. But he was getting tired, the crate was too much for him to handle. He wasn't watching where he was going so he hit his head on a rock and fell down a cliff. I didn't know, none of us did, so by the time we found him, it was too late."  
  
"Oh no." Chi-Chi gasped and went pale.  
  
"What about the medicine?" Goku asked.  
  
"It's all gone, all of it was lost." Vegeta sighed.  
  
"No, that's horrible." Goku was in shock. "Where's the others?"  
  
"They're still somewhere in Alaska trying to find any remains of the medicine or Gohan, but I told them it was hopeless, I saw it happen with my own two eyes." Vegeta replied.  
  
"Well, thanks Vegeta." Goku felt his heart sink.  
  
"I'm sorry I couldn't be of more help." Vegeta left with a smile, he was in the clear.  
  
Back in Alaska.  
  
"Gohan, do you know where we're going?" Trunks asked.  
  
"I think we're lost." Chaitzou added.  
  
"I'm not lost, I mean, I don't know where we are." Gohan admitted. He looked around.  
  
"Hey Gohan, I think we're in Canada." Yamcha called.  
  
"Oh and what gives you that idea brainiac?" Tien taunted, Yamcha pointed to a Canadian flag by the harbor. "Oh, well anyone could've figured it out from that."  
  
"Look, the sign down there says Toronto." Trunks pointed.  
  
"Then we're on the right track, let's go, it's southeast from here, come on!" Gohan lead the way. They traveled for a couple more days and they finally crossed the Atlantic and were somewhere in Europe.  
  
"Gohan, where are we now?" Chaitzou called  
  
"I think we're going in circles." Yamcha spoke up.  
  
"Why do you say that?" Tien asked.  
  
"We've passed that leaning tower of pizza twice already." Yamcha pointed. Tien just stared at his simple-minded friend for a few moments before rolling his eyes and begging for mercy. "We should go just east from here, the sun is our guide." Gohan said.  
  
"Lead on, oh fearless leader." Trunks smiled. Gohan grinned back and lead the way. For a few more days they traveled until they got caught in a hard blizzard right near the end of Russia.  
  
"What do we do Gohan, we're trapped!" Yamcha cried over the noisy wind.  
  
"I don't know how much farther we can go." Tien shielded his eyes.  
  
"We're so close, we're almost there." Gohan spit snow out of his mouth and trudged through the thick snow and finally fell.  
  
"Gohan!" Trunks rushed over, he'd collapsed. Tien ran over and picked him up.  
  
"He's exousted, we need to find a place to rest." Tien said and they ran into an old abandoned inn a few yards off. It was warm and dry inside, luckily there was still electricity in the vacant building. Tien lay Gohan down, he was shivering violently. "We need to warm him up or he'll freeze to death."  
  
"Here." Yamcha took off his orange gi and put it around Gohan.  
  
"He can use my jacket." Trunks took off his blue sweatshirt and put it on Gohan too.  
  
"Hey, he's coming to." Tien pushed everyone back to give Gohan air. His teeth chattered and he coughed, wiping the melted snow from his mouth as he spit it out. Gohan rubbed his eyes before opening them, he groaned. "Are you ok kid?"  
  
"Yea, we have to keep moving." Gohan sat up but half passed out, he fell back over.  
  
"Gohan take it easy." Yamcha held him up, Gohan groaned.  
  
"We have to go, come on, hurry up." Gohan said wearily.  
  
"You need to rest, then we can go." Trunks replied.  
  
"No." Gohan found some strength to stand up and he shoved Yamcha away. "Come on, we're almost there, we have to get to Goten while there's still time. He's my brother, it's my responsibility to see this medicine to him. I couldn't forgive myself if we were too late." He closed his eyes and struggled to talk, he was exousted but wouldn't give up. Seeing there was no arguing with Gohan, they all reluctantly agreed. The group flew back out into the blizzard and flew all day and into the night, as daylight dawned, the storm had ended and they were over ocean water. "Look, we made it." Gohan pointed.  
  
"We should be there by the end of the day if we keep up the pace." Tien smiled. They flew faster, eager to get home. Back at home.. "Vegeta, why didn't you stay to help? They've been gone for weeks now, what if they're all gone?" Piccolo said in a deep, quiet voice.  
  
"I made my choice, I'm living with it." Vegeta replied coolly. Piccolo just growled.  
  
"Chi-Chi." Goku turned around as his wife came outside. "How is he?"  
  
"He's sleeping easier now but he's exousted from his coughing." She sighed.  
  
"Hu?" Goku looked around violently.  
  
"Goku, what is it?" Piccolo asked.  
  
"Can't you feel it? That energy!" Goku continued to look around quickly.  
  
"Yes, I do feel it!" Piccolo was shocked.  
  
"What?" Vegeta sensed it too.  
  
"Could it be?" Goku looked over the horizon, he put his hand over his eyes to shield from the sun. Finally they could see it, it was the group with the crate of medicine.  
  
"They made it, they did it!" Chi-Chi cheered. Vegeta's jaw dropped as he stared wide eyed, Gohan was carrying the medicine and everyone followed him.  
  
"Hey." Goku growled and everyone turned to Vegeta.  
  
"Uh.." Vegeta looked around, feeling a little nervous. "Gotta go." He flew off. Everyone tuned their attention back to the group, they landed and Gohan ran over.  
  
"Gohan!" Chi-Chi hugged him tightly. "Oh I'm so glad you're ok."  
  
"Dad, here." Gohan panted, handing Goku the crate.  
  
"Wow, this had been on some trip." Goku opened it, most bottles were empty and broken but a few, just enough, remained for Goten. "Good thing you're not too late." He grinned.  
  
"This is great, I'll call the doctor right away!" Chi-Chi ran inside happily.  
  
"We almost didn't make it here when we did." Tien approached Goku.  
  
"We wouldn't, that is, if we didn't have Gohan." Chaitzou added. Gohan smiled tiredly. 


	4. Goten's Recovery

Chi-Chi had been in the house for quiet some time now, the Z fighters were still standing outside, waiting. She had called the doctor and he'd given her instructions. Inside, Chi-Chi was boiling a pot of water when Goku went into the house to help her.  
  
"Alright, I have the water heating up." Chi-Chi was saying to herself.  
  
"Hi, honey." Goku said slowly as he walked in.  
  
"Oh Goku, this is just so great!"  
  
"Is he ok yet?"  
  
"No silly, I haven't even given him the medicine yet."  
  
"Well why not?"  
  
"I have to carefully and exactly follow the instructions the doctor gave me."  
  
"What do you have to do?"  
  
"I first need to put a pot of water on boil, I'm warming it up right now."  
  
"What's the next step, can I help?"  
  
"Sure Goku, you can do it. You have to see how much of the medicine is in this bottle." Chi-Chi handed him a measuring glass, Goku looked it over. "I'll go get a washcloth."  
  
Goku poured in the bottle into the glass and held it up to inspect it, there was half a glass of the potion in each bottle. "Hey Chi-Chi!" She returned to the room. "There's half a glass in each bottle, how much does Goten need to take?"  
  
"He needs to take one cup on the first day."  
  
"Wow, that's a lot of medicine. But what about the water?"  
  
"We need to mix it with a cup of hot water that's been boiled in order to be fully purified."  
  
"Wow." Goku was confused by the large amount of big words.  
  
"Ah, the water is boiled." Chi-Chi noticed the masses of steam rising.  
  
"Now what?"  
  
"Hand me that big glass." Goku handed it to her, she mixed the boiled water and the two jars of medicine. "Now we have to get Goten to take it."  
  
"But it's too hot."  
  
"We'll let it cool down first." Chi-Chi rolled her eyes but couldn't help but smile. "Here." She handed him the washcloth she'd wet. "Go give that go Goten and check on him, I'll be in there in a few minutes once the water cools down enough so he can drink it."  
  
"Ok."  
  
Goku nodded and walked out of the kitchen with the damp washcloth. He walked down the hall and into Goten's room. It was dark and stuffy inside, Goku didn't like the way it felt. Goten was asleep, his raspy, uneasy snoring gave away the fact that he was in another one of his fever dreams. As Goku walked slowly over towards his son's bed, Goten tossed and turned with a jolt, causing Goku to stop in his tracks. He carefully watched his son's face, it tensed and his eyes squinted, then they opened.  
  
"Dad?"  
  
"Hey Goten." Goku smiled and sat down on the chair Chi-Chi kept vigil on.  
  
"Hi daddy." Goten tried to sit up but got dizzy and couldn't support himself.  
  
"Take it easy little guy." Goku helped to prop Goten up on his pillow. "How are you?"  
  
"I dunno."  
  
"Well, how do you feel?"  
  
"The same I guess." Goten began to cough, a dry, congested cough. Goku winced slightly but smiled. "What's so funny?"  
  
"You're gonna be ok."  
  
"Hu? I am?"  
  
"That's right." Chi-Chi came into the room. Goku smiled and looked up at her.  
  
"Mom?"  
  
"Here you go." Chi-Chi gave him the big glass. Goten stared at it.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"The medicine."  
  
"So I'm not gonna die?" Goten cried.  
  
"That's right." Chi-Chi smiled.  
  
"Yay, Gohan did it!" Goten cheered and drank it quickly, wiping his mouth. "So now I'm all better?"  
  
"No, but you're on your way."  
  
"So I have to take more of that stuff?"  
  
"I'm afraid so."  
  
"Aw, mom!"  
  
"Now listen to your mother, son."  
  
"Yes daddy."  
  
Back outside, everyone was still standing around, waiting and fidgeting uneasily.  
  
"I really hope we got here in time." Gohan wore a decimated look on his face.  
  
"Don't worry kid, he'll be fine." Yamcha assured.  
  
"But what if he's not?" Trunks asked.  
  
"It's not any fault of our own." Tien replied. Chaitzou frowned as he let out a sigh. The sound of the door opening caused them all to look up. Goku came outside. "Goku." Goku didn't respond.  
  
"Dad?" Gohan could feel the lump rise and grow in his throat. But Goku smiled, everyone tensed.  
  
"He's gonna be ok." Goku smiled.  
  
"Yea!" Everyone cheered. Gohan let out a long sigh of relief.  
  
"We did it Gohan!" Trunks ran over and hugged him.  
  
"Yea, we did." Gohan laughed slightly as he hugged back.  
  
"Gohan, you can go see him now." Goku said.  
  
"Great." Gohan smiled. Trunks let go and everyone watched Gohan go inside. He made his way into his little brother's room. "Ahem?" Gohan cleared his throat to make his presence known.  
  
"Gohan?" Goten rubbed his eyes and looked up.  
  
"Hey." Gohan was lost for words, he was so overjoyed, he sat down on Goten's bed.  
  
"Thanks Gohan." He wrapped his arms around his big brother. "I'd be gone without you." Gohan looked down at Goten, he smiled up and Gohan smiled back.  
  
"Hey Gohan?" Chi-Chi's voice made them turn to the door. She smiled at them. Gohan got up and went over to hug her. "Oh thank you." She whispered in her son's ear.  
  
"Don't thank me mom, I was glad to do it. He's my little brother, it's up to me to take care of him."  
  
"Wow, you've won this new sense for responsibility."  
  
"No it was always there, I just had to find it." Gohan smiled as he and Chi- Chi walked back outside where everyone was waiting.  
  
"Is he ok?" Trunks asked.  
  
"He's doing just great." Gohan smiled.  
  
Everyone cheered again, they were thrilled to have Goten on the road to recovery on account of their success. Gohan jumped around with joy along side Trunks. Goku walked over to Chi-Chi and put his arm around her. They looked at each other and smiled, then turned back to watch Gohan celebrate with the Z fighters.  
  
"That's great, Gohan saved the day." Chaitzou was saying to Tien.  
  
"Yea, he's pretty good alright." Yamcha agreed.  
  
"Hey Gohan, whatever did happen to you back in Alaska?" Tien brought up the question.  
  
"Yea, what took ya so long to get there?" Yamcha chimed in.  
  
"Well guys," Gohan smiled. "If you're ever getting tired of watching the news and start flipping through some channels, don't be surprised if you see my face on any of the new season sitcoms."  
  
"Gohan's so cool, I wanna grow up to be just like him." Trunks replied eagerly.  
  
"Guys, don't give me all the credit, we all worked together." Gohan said solemnly.  
  
"Hey wait, what about Vegeta?" Tien's question came out of the blue.  
  
"Oh you shouldn't worry about that, guys." Goku walked over and smiled. "You leave that little matter to me." He pounded a fist into his hand. Everyone laughed, Vegeta was in for it now! 


End file.
